We have all heard the phrase, "levels to this," right? Insert the ILLUMINATI REJECT project to that sentence and walk away. This project is probably one the strongest ones to meet our review gauntlet.
OVERALL RATING:
For everyone who thinks lyricism is dead and that creativity in hip hop is no longer existent, we should play them some Nino Bless. We have all heard the phrase, "levels to this," right? Insert the ILLUMINATI REJECT project to that sentence and walk away. This project is probably one the strongest ones to meet our review gauntlet yet.
Admittedly, at first listen, it seemed that the project was going to have an average rating, but as the review process continued, we found gems in bar after bar mixed with some quality production to present something rap fans will definitely appreciate from both sides of the proverbial lyricism fence.
From the first half of the project, tracks like The Rise, Turn Around and Bamboozled provide the perfect example of his ability to not only rap, but DELIVER his words with exact precision.
Our playlist vote went to Silver Bullet feat. Cambatta. This is one of the most versatile tracks on the project, and it's lyrically bananas! With more of a southern sounding production, its combination is a lethal dose of music.
It's hard to truly criticize this project. The only real weak points to the album were some minor mix issues, like dropping the high hats in This Song Might Get Me Killed, and a lack of some breakdowns in the beat for Bamboozled. Additionally This Song Might Get Me Killed was a very long song. If they made a shorter version balancing verses and vocals, it might make some serious waves.
Overall, this project is one of the strongest examples of how to create your own genuine sound and creative brand through music. Everything from lyrics, production to the delivery and mix was on point. We would recommend this anyone enjoys rap music, period. You can download it free on DatPiff.com on the link below and see one of his videos off this project below.
The RED SKY album is probably one of the most unique projects we have gotten the chance to review.
ARTIST(S): Aja Lorraine & Wally Clark ALBUM: Red Sky
OVERALL RATING:
The RED SKY album is probably one of the most unique projects we have gotten the chance to review. It's definitely an experimental project featuring Aja Lorraine's vocals mixed with Wally Clark's production. Let's also be clear, this is NOT a rap album. If you enjoy listening to R&B like vocals over various styles of production, and you enjoy the more eclectic styles of music; this would be the album for you.
This album was more abstract in its content and production, and didn't necessarily follow the standard formats for verses, hooks, etc. It seemed to have a more organic composition to it overall.
The ability of Aja to blend her writing and delivery to the production definitely showcased her strength as a vocalist. The melodies were absolutely unexpected in many of the tracks, but made sense.
One of the key factors that gave this album a good rating was the mixes. Most of the tracks were well balanced. The clarity in most of the tracks is what made this a smooth listen.
Tracks like BEEN AWAY could have used a little less on the synths, and WHAT KINDA CAT had some horns that would have been better more prominent in the mix.
While the production had a good range even within tracks, with drops and sequences that created various moods within the songs; there were some tracks like 1 SIDED LOVE and SKIN TO SKIN that seemed a bit monotonous after a while. The best songs were those that had a variety of sequences where Aja would follow the moods it created.
Our top picks for this album are REPO CHICKS, WHAT KINDA CAT and RED SKY. Check those out and let us know which ones are your top picks.
Overall, if you're looking for something more experimental and less Hip Hop; this is a good project to check out. There are links below with streaming and purchasing options.
The Snooze Button is definitely not an album to be taken lightly or slept on. It's properly titled and boasts a myriad of tracks that will make any fan of Hip Hop remember why they enjoyed emcees in the first place.
ARTIST(S): Annex (@annexhiphop) ALBUM: The Snooze Button LP
OVERALL RATING:
The Snooze Button is definitely not an album to be taken lightly or slept on. It's properly titled and boasts a myriad of tracks that will make any fan of Hip Hop remember why they enjoyed emcees in the first place. There's a total of 12 tracks, including intro and outro; and the production ranges from hard drops and bass lines to smooth production with insightful lyrics.
The opening track, "Respect My Carpet" jumps off with an authoritative flow and anthemic production. Annex makes it clear he understands the limitations of lyrical emcees, while still demanding the respect for his craft as an artist.
He follows it up with "Over My Dead Body," that features hard hitting production along with the slightly dismissive tone we once knew emcees to thrive off of. In one of his verses, he has the following advice for the younger generation: "Smarten up young thug / they want you talking about the guns and the drugs / they love to hear you ni**as scream no love / it's fuel for the agenda before they pull the rug"
This album has a lot of gems for thought mixed within the wordplay, and it will take a few listens to catch all the lines. The good part about this project is that most tracks will actually make you want to listen again. The delivery and texture of his voice flows well with the production of the tracks; so, it makes for a good listen. His ability to transform his delivery is obvious in tracks like "On My J.O." and "Don't Remind Me."
The features on this project from Laws, Vayga, imagiin360, Knucklez, Mike Mass, Aja Lorraine, Laz, J. Scriptz, B. Worthy and Jae Luis bring their own style to the respective tracks they appear on. His ability to pick good features was one of the things that gave him a good rating. So many times, features take away from the album, and for the most part, his features didn't water down the project at all.
Nonetheless, the few weak points of the album were on tracks like "This World," where the mellow feel was definitely needed, but it lacked the impact it could have had with a hook was mixed with a bit more strength and the production had a few more buildups in the instrumental.
Some of the mixes on the instrumentals clashed a bit as in the track, "On My J.O." that should have probably had horns on a different octave so as not to take from the vocalist. Other than that, the only lacking element from the album was the fluidity between tracks. This could have been a good storyline album, but it lacked the cohesive interludes to phase in between tracks.
Overall, the project was solid and a must have for any Hip Hop enthusiast that loves raw indie rap with no filters. Annex not only found his voice, but stepped his character up a bit more through the years and it shows in every verse he drops on this album. Seeing the growth from the last project was indeed refreshing.
We'll finalize this review with the following Annex line from his outro track: "You're self-driven if you're doing what you love / but understand that even the best of us benefit from a shove."
There are rarely groups that truly go outside of the box to deliver some good music mixed with great comedy AND dope production. This is definitely one of THOSE kind of projects.
ARTIST(S): FoulMowf & Hagan Lee ALBUM: Here to Hear
OVERALL RATING:
So, we received this project from some St. Petersburg emcees that redefine the meaning of UNIQUE. There are rarely groups that truly go outside of the box to deliver some good music mixed with great comedy AND dope production. This is definitely one of THOSE kind of projects. FoulMowf and Hagan Lee combine forces to create a completely unfiltered approach that will have you rewinding just to hear the wild punch-lines and metaphors used throughout the project.
Opening up the album with a completely comical sample; the beat drops to expose their absolute dedication to hard hitting production on "You Can Find Me." While opening up the album with a long track of features is usually not the best move, it did create the feeling necessary to understand exactly how diverse these guys could be.
Tracks like "Dominate," "Morning" and "Words" will definitely be one for the Hip Hop heads to save in the playlist. The authoritative flows and production on these tracks are enough to gain respect in any circle of emcees.
One of the most unique and hilarious tracks is "Smart Dummy." FoulMowf's off the wall delivery and completely insane lyrics are one of our favorites on this project. It's definitely not a track for those easily offended; but if you can take a joke, this will be one of those tracks that people play back for their friends simply because of how crazy it really is. The production definitely compliments the flow and it simply WORKS.
Overall, the project was solid and one of the most creative sounds we have heard in a while. There were some weak points to the project, which were mainly mix related, thus dropping their rating here. "Black Hoodie" was a dope track and concept, but the overall mix on the production could have used more strength on the low to mid-range frequencies. "Bad Seed" was another track that would have made the playlist easily had the mix had a bit more power to it. "Everything" had a great concept and sound, but the vocals needed more of bump in the overall mix; and "Strictly Commercial" somewhat drowned out FoulMowf's vocals a bit. These are a few of the examples of tracks that needed some engineer work, but also made us question what would happen with these guys on a project with a very polished mix and master.
This project is definitely a must have for those who enjoy a different sound that is both creative and still true to its roots in Hip Hop. One of the cool things about this project through the whole CD is the use of Hip Hop samples and references from ODB to KRS and more. While their sound is definitely new school, you can clearly hear the influences that heads will appreciate. This is not to say that they sound anything like Golden Age Hip Hop… believe us when we say that they have THEIR OWN SOUND. Download their project for free below and let them know what you think.
There has been a common eclectic theme in the more refined emcees these days, and Black Milk is no exception. His latest release, No Poison No Paradise, can be considered one of his more musically mature projects.
ARTIST(S): Black Milk
ALBUM: No Poison No Paradise
OVERALL RATING:
There has been a common eclectic theme in the more refined emcees these days, and Black Milk is no exception. His latest release, No Poison No Paradise, can be considered one of his more musically mature projects. From start to finish, this project has a mixture of hard-hitting production with musical arrangements you might find on an Erykah Badu album.
This project keyed in on Black Milk's ability to adapt and experiment with his delivery over sometimes random production; which was the strength of this project. From the start of "Interpret Sabotage," the beats are solid and the vocalists in tracks like this and "Parallels" definitely compliment the track and fit well with the production.
Another feature of this project is the wide array of instrumentals, whether they are intro, outros or full length interludes. The production definitely focused on providing a more musically rounded theme around deep drops, thoughtful lyrics and artsy jams like "Sonny Jr." and "X Chords" that simply fit the overall feel of the album.
One thing that is obvious from this album is that Black Milk doesn't mind experimenting, and he pulls it off well with tracks like "Black Sabbath," where he completely dominated the delivery over tight-knit drums and a grunge-like sound selection. Truthfully, sometimes the experimenting went a bit far and didn't blend well as in "Poison," where the background vocals clashed with his own vocals. Nonetheless, he still pulls off some deep thought in lyric with lines like, "What does it all mean, to lose your soul to try to live an american dream / fuck a life here, I'd rather go to sleep and live inside my nightmare."
If you like experimental production and slick wordplay, this is definitely an album you will want in your collection. The only down sides to this project were that in some tracks like, "Deion's House" where the overall production of the song wasn't bright enough and became a bit monotonous. While the lyrics were on point in "Codes and Cab Fare" from both Black Milk and Black Thought, the production just left the listener wanting a little more impact.
Overall, the album was well put together, musically mature and definitely one that lyricists will appreciate. Take some time to check out the video for "Sunday's Best" and "Monday's Worst;" which seemed like a good duo of contrast concepts.
Joe Stu and Hip Hop producer, D.R.U.G.S. combined to make a project that would exemplify not only the culture of our music; but the struggles and battles that come with being an artist.
ARTIST(S): Joe Stu + D.R.U.G.S. (ATL)
ALBUM: Wrong Turns in the Right Direction
OVERALL RATING:
In an age where messages are rarely received, and everything is about the party life, it's refreshing to get projects like these. Joe Stu and Hip Hop producer, D.R.U.G.S. combined to make a project that would exemplify not only the culture of our music; but the struggles and battles that come with being an artist. Conveying personal, political and spiritual messages through powerful production and undeniable lyricism, "Wrong Turns in the Right Direction" definitely lives up to its name.
The Jazz/Soul influence is quickly noticed from the very intro of the project, complete with consciously-driven spoken word over a smooth saxophone and piano combo. This blends nicely with the hard drop of ARE YOU READY, and sets the tone for what could be called, "struggle music."
The tracks that really stood out on this project were the one's featuring vocalists like LIFE feat. Jahah, and LOVE GONE feat. Sage and Najja. Their selection in vocalists complimented the song and the artist; which is not always a strong point for rap artists. Another notable collaboration on this project was CLOUDY DAYS feat. Krystal and Shred TVT; which definitely made it to the BSR playlists.
One of the strongest values to the project was the delivery on tracks. Having bars is one thing, but when you can properly execute them over a rhythm and make it your own sound; that separates the rappers from the emcees. Joe Stu's ability to weave concepts and execute them precisely led to a high rating on lyrics. One notable line on REALITY RAP explaining the fraudulent nature of reality TV, he stated, "Basketball Wives got these women thinking if they spread their thighs, that they could get a house and a ride / and a TV show to match plus some child support payments, in the end, I guess it's all entertainment." Rather than judge the watchers and fans, he merely questions whether the concept of watching and participating in the circus is wrong or right. And at the end of that track, he was real enough to just say he likes to watch his shows. How more honest can it get?
Overall, the project was definitely a quality product, and we would recommend it to anyone who loves an artist who is transparent and conscious; yet down to earth enough to make it comical and real to the listener.
Like any other project, this one had a few down sides to it. ARE YOU READY needed a bit more variation on the production as it seemed to drag on a bit. HOOKED wasn't really up to the standard of the other tracks and seemed a little flat on the mix. CLOUDY DAYS, though being one of the favorites, still needed a bit more prominence on the vocals in the hook. And PARTY feat. Los Rider was a great party concept (true to its name), but the mid-range frequencies seemed to clash a little bit and took away from the dynamics of the production and delivery.
Nonetheless, the project from start to finish held strong through the review process. A salute to Joe Stu and D.R.U.G.S. for a great collaboration of music that we believe every Hip Hop enthusiast will enjoy.
CHECK OUT THE MUSIC VIDEO OF THE "GORILLA" SINGLE:
ALBUM RATINGS
Production:
Lyrics:
Mix:
OVERALL:
Please click here for more information on guidelines for our bootslap rating system.
Every so often there comes an artist who projects a very sociable personality that is both authoritative and friendly. Infinite Skillz is one of those types of artists, and he accurately titled his mixtape, "You're All Invited."
Mixtape: You're All Invited
Artist: Infinite Skillz (St. Petersburg, FL)
OVERALL RATING:
Every so often there comes an artist who projects a very sociable personality that is both authoritative and friendly. Infinite Skillz is one of those types of artists, and he accurately titled his mixtape, "You're All Invited."
From the beginning of the mixtape, the energy is unmistakable. "Break It Down" is the perfect wake up track and his delivery definitely fits the mold of the production. His remakes of industry tracks like "Grind So Hard" are good remakes, but it would have been good to see them more distinctive to his style as opposed to sounding a bit too much like the originals. Perhaps that was the purpose, but it would have been good to hear it a little differently.
One obvious plus to Infinite's mixtape is that his ability to create hooks makes the songs catchy and memorable. Many times artists get caught up in the verses and forget the importance of a hook. This artist doesn't make that mistake and weaves both rap and vocal hooks that complement each track. Tracks like "Rogaine" and "Same As You" validate this point.
If one thing that could be said about him as an artist throughout this mixtape; it's that his ability to mold himself around beats makes him versatile enough to survive the changing trends. The only track that really didn't fit him well was "Pretty Nasty." While the track had a good hook and he was obviously on beat; it just didn't fit his persona very well and it came through on the delivery a bit.
The mixtape was an overall QUALITY PRODUCT, and it's FREE; so there's really no reason to avoid listening to it. It needed some work on the mixes that were missing a little low end frequencies, but everything above 120hz+ (rough estimate) seemed to be leveled well. Overall, 3.5 boots on this one. With some fine tuning, it could have been 4, but we'll be sure to keep our eyes out on the next one and watch the growth.
We at BootSlap are advocates for Indies with QUALITY MUSIC; so we base our reviews on 4 key components. This system of rating provides us a standard of quality that is not simply left to the bias of the writer or reader.
An overview of the BootSlap Rating System
In every masterpiece, there are various components that make up that work of art in a way that exemplifies it as genius. Whether it is the stanzas in a poem, the movements in a symphony or the components of a Hip Hop record; there are pieces to that work that come together and make it QUALITY MUSIC. We at BootSlap are advocates for Indies with QUALITY MUSIC; so we base our reviews on 4 key components. This system of rating provides us a standard of quality that is not simply left to the bias of the writer or reader.
IN OTHER WORDS...
The lyrics in music may be as elementary as Kermit the frog with a twist of tight jeans and pocket protectors; but the production is phenomenal, the mix is phenomenal, and the overall delivery of the artist projected well. They may get a good rating.
On the other hand; the lyrics may be completely flawless, but the delivery might sound more like a Gregorian chant, and the production is completely mixed like an old school cassette tape playing on a dusty boombox with one speaker working. That might not get a great rating. Just a simple thought to ponder when you make music.
WHAT WE'RE BASICALLY SAYING IS…
We are eliminating the opinion and trying to observe MUSIC for exactly what it is… MUSIC! So, I guess you want to know the formula, huh?
THE OFFICIAL BOOTSLAP REVIEW SYSTEM
They look something like this (halves look like this… )
AND BELOW IS HOW WE BREAK IT OUT ON THE SCALE
- 5 BOOTS: FLAWLESS!!!!
- 4.5 BOOTS: Repeat Alert!!!!
- 4 BOOTS: Pretty Damn Good!!!!
- 3.5 BOOTS: This gets a #salute
- 3 BOOTS: Good Work!
- 2.5 BOOTS: It's good, but might need some work
- 2 BOOTS: Definitely needs some work, but it has potential
- 1.5 BOOTS: It's OK…. (yea, how that sounded in your head)
- 1 BOOT: Not really a strong point, huh?
- HALF A BOOT: C'Mon Son…. (insert Ed Lover pic here)
Like we said earlier… there are COMPONENTS to every masterpiece, so this is how we ask ourselves how to rate projects:
LYRICS: Are you on topic, do you articulate well and are you creative with the way you put those words together? Lyricism is the key here, but making sense matters JUST AS MUCH here. What story are you telling me? Do I get it?
PRODUCTION: Is the production well composed, constructed and mixed? Does it tell its own story and carry its weight on the project? Is it even original??????? (We have to ask these days….)
MIX: Does everything sound clean? Are the frequencies balanced correctly across the record? Does this sound like a QUALITY MIX? Every type of music and genre has its own way to mix and blend frequencies; does the mix match your song?
OVERALL: This is done by simply taking the 3 components above; Lyrics, Production and Mix, and calculating the average between them. This then equals the overall rating of the project. Rounding in any way is up to the discretion of the writer. Think of it as a MINUS or PLUS on a test (i.e. c-, b+, etc etc blah blah blah)
THIS IS HOW WE COME UP WITH OUR RATING OF PROJECTS. LIKE IT OR HATE IT, THIS IS WHAT KEEPS US HONEST AND KEEPS ARTISTS GROWING. THERE IS NO PROGRESS FOR THE INDIE ARTIST IF THEY CANNOT SET NEW STANDARDS ONCE THEY MEET THE OLD ONES.
So, we decided to peep out Kembe X's new joint titled SELF RULE for a 2nd Round review. Most times, artists have a hard enough time getting just a few good songs in ONE project; much less a group of successive projects that show TRUE growth.
Artist(s): Kembe X Mixtape: Self Rule Mixtape (2011)
Overall Rating:
So, we decided to peep out Kembe X's new joint titled SELF RULE for a 2nd Round review. Most times, artists have a hard enough time getting just a few good songs in ONE project; much less a group of successive projects that show TRUE growth. As usual, his ability to create intricate wordplay is probably the most ingenious part of his delivery.
He starts off the project with an inspiring Malcolm X speech for the intro. Their mix and choice of background music was definitely well done. This is actually something that could be said about a lot of the project, overall. The choice in production matched the lyrics extremely well throughout the project.
From "Introlude" with its smooth delivery and laid back production, to "Quarter and a Nightmare" with its odd use of melodies over smooth lines of rhythm; Kembe's ability to weave a story that pulls in the listener is undeniable. Any listener will notice, right away, that not only is Kembe X able to adapt easily to various rhythms; but his choice of production is phenomenal.
Some tracks worth a DEFINITE mention are, "Patience," which helped bring the project back into perspective and made it come alive midway when the track tempos starting blurring together. This track is a definite REPEAT BUTTON CULPRIT! The only thing it could have used was less saturation on the distortion of the vocals of the hook. It was a bit heavy and could have balanced out a bit better to sound less gritty.
Between "Backwards" with its old school "Midnight Marauder's" feel, and smooth bass riffs and woodwinds of "Don't Quit;" it's clear his influences are not just constrained to recent music. Kembe X seems to be rooted in MUCH MORE than today's superficial digi-songs. His music reaches back out to the listener and incites that old warm feel Chi-Town artists are known well for.
While we have a lot of good to say about this project, and the ratings speak the same; there were some slight downsides to the project that could have used some work. "Cold Summer" loses a little momentum, which he makes up with his ability to paint a picture with lyrics. "Don't Quite" could have used a little more work on the bridge and the feature artist, Alex Wiley, could have had better breath control in his delivery.
Despite the very minute flaws on this project; the quality, wordplay, production and overall mix puts Kembe X on a different playing field than many indie artists who are still trying to mature their sound. Peep out the download and HEAR HIP HOP REVIVING FIRST HAND!
Tampa has a host of talented individuals and crews that bless its Hip Hop scene, but few that have the unique blend of sounds that The Rukus brings to the table.
Artist(s): The Rukus Mixtape: The Patience Project (2011)
Overall Rating:
Tampa has a host of talented individuals and crews that bless its Hip Hop scene, but few that have the unique blend of sounds that The Rukus brings to the table. Made up of KeithElite, Rude and DJ Blenda; this trio has released their latest project titled, THE PATIENCE PROJECT; which featured a blend of original production, DJ cuts and features from some notable artists.
Starting off the project, they definitely show a lot of love and get all the shouts out of the way in track one. Many of Tampa's artists, DJ's and promoters will find their names on that long list of shout outs and then off to the music it goes.
With a strong message on "The Break's Over," The Rukus expresses their feelings about the current state of artistry today, and their current contribution to lyricism and substance in music. While the mix is not what it probably should have been, the production and lyrics definitely make up for it. This resonates throughout the project, but there were definitely some tracks worth a serious recommendation.
Tracks like "Days Fly By," featuring Geno and Sen-C give a great nostalgic feel with relevant content on how life moves so quickly by. "The Banger," featuring Mike Mass and Dynasty is by far one of the best tracks on the project. It is worth some mention that Mike Mass' verse was probably one of the strongest on this track and contributed to its feel in a considerable way.
One of their single tracks currently being pushed, "A Song for the People" could best be described as pure quality music. This track definitely epitomized the concept of making music and not just Rap. The feel of this song is inspiring and moving at the same time. "Amazin'" was by far the best track on the whole project, featuring the strong content of Jinx and E-Digga; it could possibly snap the rewind button and make a few listeners make use of their warranty services.
Just like every project, there were some down sides to this project as well. Overall, the mixes on the tracks are what hurt the ratings a bit. Tracks like "Where We At Now" and "Hands High" could have used a bit more balancing between vocal and beat frequencies on the EQ. "Too Easy," though picking up after the first verse did not begin strong enough. Additionally, the closing track, "Show's Over" was actually a great track, but probably was not the strongest end to the project even though it was intended for this very purpose.
Overall, this album is a must have for those individuals who enjoy something different, but VERY MUCH culture music. The features are strong, the production definitely exemplifies quality - but the mixes will need to be better on the next project. If they can make that happen; there's no denying this team will push ahead in the coming years with some epic music.
ARTIST(S):
ARTIST(S): Joe Stu + D.R.U.G.S. (ATL)
One of the strongest values to the project was the delivery on tracks. Having bars is one thing, but when you can properly execute them over a rhythm and make it your own sound; that separates the rappers from the emcees. Joe Stu's ability to weave concepts and execute them precisely led to a high rating on lyrics. One notable line on REALITY RAP explaining the fraudulent nature of reality TV, he stated, "Basketball Wives got these women thinking if they spread their thighs, that they could get a house and a ride / and a TV show to match plus some child support payments, in the end, I guess it's all entertainment." Rather than judge the watchers and fans, he merely questions whether the concept of watching and participating in the circus is wrong or right. And at the end of that track, he was real enough to just say he likes to watch his shows. How more honest can it get?
(halves look like this… 
)
Artist(s): Kembe X
Artist(s): The Rukus
